Communities In Schools of Chicago boosts efforts to equip students beyond back to school supplies
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Back-to-school season brings into sharp focus the needs of many Chicago families trying to make ends meet while ensuring students return to class prepared to learn.
Communities In Schools (CIS) of Chicago, one of the largest education nonprofits focused on helping students overcome barriers to achieve in school and life, has found students' needs go beyond backpacks, pencils and notebooks.
CIS said requests for daily essentials - everything from clothes to hygiene products - have grown significantly since the pandemic and the onset of inflation.
Prior to 2020, only a few of the Chicago Public Schools served by CIS mentioned their students' needs for daily living basics. Yet in the last school year, more than half of the 200 schools served by CIS cited students' needs for basic necessities like toothpaste, deodorant and feminine hygiene supplies as a top priority. More than 10,000 families across the city accessed such resources through CIS' network of 215 community partners.
In response, CIS is investing in a new staff member who will support CIS of Chicago community partners in providing essential needs items to students and their families.
"Basic items we often take for granted are in great demand by many of our families who are facing economic challenges," said Robin Koelsch, chief partnership engagement officer at Communities In Schools of Chicago. "Our goal is to provide more schools with daily essential supplies to any student in need, so they come to class confident and ready to learn."
CIS' region-wide network of partner organizations responds to school requests and ensures they access the full complement of supports, which are provided to students at no charge. They include academic enrichment opportunities to mental health resources to address students' social, emotional and mental well-being.
